Exploring predictors of analgesic response in adult women regularly using NSAIDs: insights from a machine learning approach.

Cerebral palsy (CP) comprises a group of permanent disorders of movement and posture attributed to non-progressive disturbances in the developing fetal or infant brain []. Although CP is defined by motor impairment, it is increasingly recognized as a neurodevelopmental condition with broad functional consequences across activity, participation, communication, cognition, and psychosocial well-being []. Globally, CP is the most common cause of childhood physical disability, with prevalence estimates often reported around 2 per 1,000 live births, though this varies by case definition and surveillance methods []. Clinically, CP is classified by motor subtype and topographical distribution. Spastic CP is characterized by hypertonia and pyramidal tract involvement, dyskinetic CP by involuntary movements and fluctuating tone (often associated with basal ganglia injury), and ataxic CP by impaired balance and coordination (linked to cerebellar dysfunction); mixed forms incorporate features of more than one subtype []. CP frequently co-occurs with epilepsy, intellectual disability, sensory impairments, behavioral and emotional difficulties, and secondary musculoskeletal complications, which contribute substantially to disability severity and care needs [, ]. Feeding and swallowing dysfunction is common and may lead to prolonged feeding times, aspiration risk, gastroesophageal reflux, and malnutrition, highlighting the need for coordinated multidisciplinary care [, ]. In sub-Saharan Africa, CP phenotype and outcomes are shaped by preventable perinatal and neonatal factors and constraints in neonatal and rehabilitation services []. However, systematic hospital-based descriptions of CP subtype distribution, comorbidities, particularly epilepsy, and care patterns are limited in many settings, including Zambia. Such data are essential for service planning, strengthening referral pathways, and improving clinical documentation practices. We therefore described the hospital-based case burden and clinical spectrum of CP among children at two major tertiary hospitals in Zambia’s Copperbelt Province.